Antisemitic flyers appeared in driveways at homes in Clovis and Fresno this weekend.
Clovis police confirmed the flyers appeared in the neighborhood bounded by Peach, Ashlan, Gettysburg and Winery. Some of the flyers were also found nearby in Fresno.
Images from KMPH 26 show the flyers with topics such as “every single aspect of the Ukraine-Russian war is Jewish,” and “every single aspect of the COVID agenda is Jewish.” They were placed in clear plastic bags weighed down with beans.
Although upsetting, the flyers were not a crime.
“It does not appear to target any single individual because homes on every street within the neighborhood received them. It’s unfortunate that our residents had to wake up to something like this, and we are looking into it, even though it is not a crime. Our officers were in the neighborhood speaking to residents about their concerns,” Clovis Police spokesman Ty Wood said.
Fresno Police had no information about complaints filed about the flyer.
Similar flyers have been left in other communities across the country.
ADL: Report Incidents Anyway
The group that distributed the flyers is known to the Anti-Defamation League, but they refused to publicly name who they are, “because they are attention seekers.”
“This is a virulently antisemitic hate group. We know that it is a small and loosely knit group of individuals who distribute fliers and also engage in other stunts,” Teresa Drenick, the deputy regional director out of the ADL’s San Francisco office, said. “They try, with these fliers distributions, to create a sense of fear and disquiet in communities.”
The ADL recommends reporting such incidents to police, even if the distribution is not a crime.
“It is really vital that local police departments know that hate incidents are taking place in the communities that they have to take care of and protect,” Drenick said.
Drenick urges victims to report incidents to the ADL online data base. They already received a report about the Clovis incident.
City, Jewish Leaders Condemn Flyers
The ADL also recommends reaching out to local politicians.
“When organized incidents of hate and antisemitism are taking place, those who are in charge of the community have to be made aware,” Drenick said.
City leaders in Fresno and Clovis condemned the flyers.
“Antisemitic attacks are on the rise and continue to expand throughout the country. Painfully, Fresno is not immune. Hate has no place in our city. We stand in strong solidarity with our Jewish community against this disgusting antisemitic rhetoric,” Fresno City Council President Nelson Esparza wrote on Twitter.
“There really isn’t a comment that could justify or explain or express outrage about such behavior. It’s not tolerated anywhere. It’s not what we do in a civil society. So there’s really not much left to say about it because we keep seeing them over and over again. But I’m sorry that it’s made it to our community and it’s certainly not acceptable or welcome here,” Clovis City Councilwoman Lynne Ashbeck said.
A leader in the Jewish community provided optimism in the latest example of hate.
“(The) best way to fight darkness is through bringing an added light — kindness and goodness in this world should and will prevail,” Chanie Zirkind, co-director of Chabad of the Central Valley said.
The Jewish community is planning a public Menorah lighting, commemorating the first night of Hanukkah on Sunday. The event starts 4 p.m. at the River Park shopping center, near the farmer’s market area.
Hanukkah is the eight-night celebration, remembering the miracle of one night’s worth of oil — remaining in the destroyed Great Temple of Jerusalem — lasting eight nights.
